Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

CLOSED: Azzurra (Collingwood)

Posted on Sunday, December 27, 2015 by
Azzura Collingwood

Set in a large restored house, Azzurra has an elegant yet comforting feel to it. Upon entering, the warmth and scent of cooking food welcomes you with Italian hospitality. In the side room we were seated in, it does get a little cozy – I was rather warm in my thicker sweater.

Sharing is a great option as Azzurra’s menu contains many delicious sounding dishes. Some are rather rich so you may not want an entire order of it anyways. Such as the duck confit risotto ($26), a creamy combination of rice studded with finely diced celeriac, heirloom carrots and leeks to add colour and extra flavours. Shredded pieces of tasty duck confit is mixed throughout and sits is a rich savoury jus. It’s a delicious dish but even a few spoonful were enough to satisfy.


Their sweet potato gnocchi ($17.50) was the more al dante variety, each piece having a great caramelized crust that heightened the potato’s sweetness. Despite containing apple and maple syrup, the smoked bacon, crispy sage, and shaved reggiano balanced the dish to keep it from becoming too sweet. Meanwhile, spices in the gnocchi (could have been nutmeg?) and the roasted brussel sprouts brought an earthiness to the dish, which was great at highlighting the autumn season.


The kale salad ($12) also had some sweetness to it from the sundried tomatoes, yet was still savoury due to the flavourful basil pesto tossed throughout. Roasted butternut squash and pumpkin seeds added some crunch to the starter, while the quinoa helped absorb some of the dressing and juices to give the salad moisture.


I was most excited for the fish stew ($30), which after adding a liberal sprinkling of salt to, was tasty. The saffron vegetable stock was infused with the seafood’s flavours including white fish, bay scallops, shrimp and calamari. Plenty of potatoes, scallions, kale and swiss chard were also added to make it a hearty dish. Luckily, we thought to save our bread for dipping but definitely could have used more – Azzurra, you should really consider sending bread with the stew.


Slight improvements on service would help. For example, after pouring our white wine, the bottle was just left on the table in the warm environment; we had to request an ice bucket to keep the wine from overheating. Nonetheless, it was a good meal: my friends and I had a pleasant evening, lulled by the dim lighting and aromatic environment.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Collingwood, Canada
 Address: 100 Pine Street


 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


The David Duncan House (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, December 26, 2015 by
The David Duncan House
There’s something utterly charming about steakhouses set in historic mansions. I’m not delusional, it doesn’t feel like I’m dining at an aristocrat’s home; the surroundings, despite the plush carpeting and baroque décor, is nonetheless still a restaurant. But, it feels like I’ve momentarily stepped back in time, when dinners last for hours and micro greens still don’t exist.

It may even be the strange complimentary starter that graces our table – the garlic bread and olives I understand… the salty soft pickles and cottage cheese? I have yet to comprehend their purpose.


It’s a place where ordering salad is a treat – where a cart is wheeled over and the dressing is whizzed in front of our eyes. Two orders of Duncan’s table side Caesar salad for two ($25) was easily enough for our table of six. Our waiter working at lightning speed to combine the fresh egg yolk, vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and anchovies. A hefty portion of garlic gave the salad a zing and the strong taste lingered until the next course was served.


For myself, the Duncan's cut bone-in prime rib ($49) was beckoning – a thick slab of tender succulent meat coated in a salty barque crust. A hot pool of gravy covered well over half the plate and left the otherwise medium done meat cooked through. Duncan should consider offering the gravy on the side to stop the sauce from cooking the beef before presented.


In true British fashion, a plump Yorkshire pudding adorned the plate, a buttery crust with a downright airy centre. The fries, although pale and limp looking, were hot and rich in potato flavours - they just needed a double fry to give it crunch and colour.

The bone-in rib steak ($63) had beautiful grill marks, which added a lovely charcoal flavour that’d be hard to achieve even with a home BBQ. However, the beef itself was rather chewy for such a marbled cut … guess we’ve been too spoiled with the 30+ day aged meats.


Although it doesn't appear large in the photo, the steak was huge and could be shared. It just so happened the baked potato was equally gargantuan. Perhaps the spoonful of listless looking mushrooms will provide a better sense of proportions.


Take my advice – stick with the meat. Fellow diners had the cod and both were done beyond comprehension. A barque ring on steak is great… on fish, not so much.  

After so much meat, my husband and I couldn’t partake in desserts, but the menu consists of several classics that are enough for sharing. The Peach Melba ($7) looked tastier than the description – the simple vanilla ice cream elevated with fruit, strawberry sauce and whipped cream on top.


The New York Style cheesecake ($9) appeared dense and creamy, yet lacked the buttery graham crust that is my favourite part of the dessert.


Something about the service makes old-fashioned steakhouses such a treat. There’s a level of efficiency and professionalism that’s admirable – our waiter ensuring we realized there’d be a wait for the salad given its popularity. Of course, they’re attentive but not intrusive; flitting about filling and clearing items without being known and knowing when to do it without asking.



At David Duncan House, they may not have the wonderfully aged steaks, but their atmosphere is charming and worth a visit. 

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 125 Moatfield Drive

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

The David Duncan House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Jacob and Co. Steakhouse (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, December 26, 2015 by
Jacob & Co. Steakhouse
After five years, Jacob & Co. has improved. Possibly I was younger during my first visit: the 40+ menu items relating to steak was daunting and the three minute spiel explaining the menu even worse. During that visit, something grated me about how I was told, “The Chef will be cutting the steak to ensure it’s served at its optimal level.” As if I’ve never wielded a knife before!

Most likely, it’s because I deviated from my true love, a Black Angus bone-in rib eye, and succumbed to the waiter’s suggestion for a Japanese wagyu instead. Prized and expensive? Sure. Tender? You bet. But, I’m not 90 years old yet, I can certainly chew through an aged steak. The wagyu, in my opinion, is all fat without the bloody meaty flavour. It’s still delicious, but in small quantities.  

After being persuaded back for a family dinner, I’m glad to have returned. The menu is still as extensive, but I dutifully scanned for the bone-in rib eye options (there was only one). The spiel was equally long but the server brought up thoughtful suggestions about sharing and creating a “steak-tasting” menu. And thankfully, he did not end with explaining how the Chef couldn’t trust me to cut my own meat.

Instead, on this visit, I fondly remember the hot cheddar rolls that were as airy as Yorkshire pudding, flaky as croissant and buttery as brioche.


The Caesar salad ($19; enough for two), prepared table side, which provided an element of showmanship. At Jacob’s they tip the bowl on its side so guests can watch as each ingredient is added and whisked.


It’s well worth the wait: the freshly made dressing isn’t overly creamy but rather adds a slick richness to the romaine. Moreover, none of the individual ingredients are overly represented, instead well balanced blend of flavours. You get the slight brininess of the anchovies, richness of the yolk & olive oil and tang from the garlic, but they’re not competing with each other. Only the bacon bits had the potential to overwhelm the salad, but since they were more cubes than bits, I ate them on their own anyways.


Yet, it’s the shared 24 oz. bone-in rib eye ($108) from Hereford-Guelph, a city just down the 401, which I’ll remember the most. Here I thought Alberta reigned supreme with steaks, but Ontario can certainly hold its own. Indeed, it could have something to do with aging the meat for 60-days; the room filled with meat currently undergoing to process proudly displayed on the second floor, not unlike a wine cellar.


The steak was fantastic! Filling the mouth with flavours before almost melting away with each bite. It had such a beautiful caramelized crust despite the centre being a vivid reddish pink. Here, our server was helpful – explaining that the restaurant first sears the meat, lets it rest until cool, before finishing it off in a hot oven to avoid overcooking. That extra middle step was critical.


On a return visit, I may even branch out into the other bone-in cuts (a T-bone or Porterhouse). Having a slice of a fellow diner’s PEI T-Bone ($113), it was equally succulent and I liked how you get two tastes in one: the meaty sirloin and smaller tenderloin cut.

Our table was filled with condiments for topping the steak: a Danish blue cheese with bacon, chimichurri, Japanese shoyu, oak smoke, fleur de sel and crushed black pepper. I tried a forkful of the chimichurri (delicious and thick) but left everything else. For such prized meat, you want to taste the melding of fat, blood and juices – why cover such delicious meat with other strong flavours? After all, we’re not having some everyday unaged skirt steak here.


Like most high-end steakhouses, a $100+ steak won’t even get you a potato. So, we added a bunch of sides to share. As soon as the chef’s special of lobster poutine ($13) was uttered, we knew the duck fat fried potatoes would be substituted. Jacob’s poutine consisted of dense rich fries smothered with hollandaise, cheese curds that were sadly not melted, but made up by sweet pieces of lobster.


I commend Jacob’s for automatically adjusting the size of sides to the table. For our group of six, we also ordered sautéed rapini ($8), potato puree ($8) and creamed spinach ($7). Our server provided (and charged us) for the half orders, which was more than enough to satisfy.


To finish our wine, my husband and I shared the cheese plate ($14) - a nice varied selection of crystal laced Blackout Beemster, creamy Chateau de Bourgogne triple-cream Brie and not overly strong Bleu d’Elizabeth semi-soft blue cheese. The small plate could barely hold all the lavish crackers, dried apricots, fresh berries and compote that accompanied the dairy.     


The petite fours, which arrive with the bill, left me with the sweet ending I needed … one last bite of flaky shortbread before leaving.



Dining at Jacob’s is more than just a one-meal affair. They leave you with chocolate chip muffins to enjoy the next morning – which they bake fresh before dinner, giving the dining room a lovely fondue essence. Although, truth be told, I wouldn’t have objected to a cheddar bun instead… because, man, those were good.

 Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 12 Brant Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Jacob's and Co. Steakhouse Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Dinner at Royale Fine Dining & Banquet 皇家御宴 (Toronto)

Posted on Friday, December 25, 2015 by
Chinese set dinners promises tons of food and a meal filled with the land and sea. Various proteins will be incorporated into the menu and if something makes you squeamish, you don’t have to feel bad taking a time out, given there’s plenty of other items to come.

Having been to Royale Fine Dining for dim sum, we decided to return for dinner, when the restaurant wouldn’t be as hectic and cramped. As part of their set menus, there was one fit for 10 people for $688, inclusive of taxes and gratuities.  

Half a suckling pig started the meal, the thin crispy well rendered skin the traditional first bite of most banquets. The pork was well flavoured and the accompanying cold crunchy jelly fish and sweet seaweed salad a nice compliment to the warm pork.


The plump prawns were cooked well, just oddly presented with a limp vegetable skewered through it. I enjoyed the crisp broccoli florets and sweet straw mushrooms piled in the middle, with a light hint of ginger permeating throughout.


After two good starters, the following dishes started to take a downhill plunge. The shark fin soup with shredded crab and preserved ham was decent, but needed more seasoning as the broth wasn’t nearly flavourful enough.


The braised duck feet with sea cucumbers could have been delicious, but I can’t get into the slippery soft texture of the two ingredients. So, I really only sampled the pea shoots, which were leafy and satisfactory.  


Rather than stir frying the lobster, Royale chose to steam theirs with green onions. Unfortunately, it spent too much time in the heat so arrived shrunken and overdone. Such a shame that the fresh lobsters were robbed on their natural succulent sweetness.


On the other hand, the fish wasn’t steamed, instead presented two ways: juicy deep fried filets and stir-fried with mushrooms and snap peas. Both were quite delicious, but it was disappointing that the showcased deep fried bone was too hard to break apart and when you could get a piece it left an unpleasant fishy essence.


Normally, I love the final noodle and rice dishes – something about the comforting carbs is a must for ending the meal right. Although I appreciate Royale’s attempt to change up the dishes, the variations just didn’t work. Firstly, the noodles presentation left much to be desire – sitting limply in a thick sauce of slice mushrooms and sea cucumber. Indeed, the sauce was well seasoned but the noodles were much too soft.


When fried rice is steamed in lotus leaves, it’s a great combination – the flavourful rice infused with a great essence and becoming moister. However, the large pieces of eel on top made it much too difficult to eat given the spine with all its tiny bones were not removed.


Luckily, the petite fours escorting the sweet red bean soup were better – the mango jello hearts richly flavoured and the almond cookies light and crispy.


Certainly, the dinner incorporated many options and we were presented with large portions of food. But, many of the dishes simply weren’t executed well. In the end, it seems I will just stick with their dim sum. 


Overall mark - 6 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 648 Silverstar Boulevard

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Royale Fine Dining Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Shabusen (San Francisco)

Posted on Thursday, December 24, 2015 by
Shabu-shabu is like a Jacuzzi for food. Thinly sliced meat poaches with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables amongst a flavoured broth; it’s an easy-going dining method, putting you at ease. Derived from the Chinese hot-pot style of cooking, it somehow seems less frenzied – perhaps it’s due to a smaller menu or the soup steaming on a low boil rather than a feverish bubbling.

Situated in Japan Town, Shabusen’s location puts you in the mood: while glancing outside a five story pagoda graces the skylight. Their lunch menu is affordable and filling, my friend and I sharing the regular beef ($14.99), small pork ($11.99) and a side of ramen ($3.50). With two people, they also offer a split pot so you can sample the dashi and spicy broth – the spicy being my favourite.


The meat is shaved to order, arriving a glorious hue of red and pink. They’re tissue paper thin and simply takes a few swishes in the soup to be edible. Both had enough marbling to be flavourful without being overly chewy.


Each person also receives a dinner plate filled with vegetables (napa cabbage, carrots, green onions), cubes of tofu, rehydrated shitake mushrooms, and bites of bean curd thread & udon. The portion was already substantial enough to be filling, but the extra ramen is the key to enjoying the broth after the essence of all the other ingredients melded into it.


The broth needed more salt as it was very plain on its own. Shabusen does provide a large bowl of ponzu (a lemony soy sauce) and goma (a silky sesame sauce) for dipping, with chilies and garlic paste at the table to add further flavour. Although great for seasoning the meats and vegetables, when it comes to the noodles I just want to enjoy it with leftover broth, so it’s lack of saltiness made for a disappointing last bite.


As a warning, like a Jacuzzi, it can get hot eating amongst the steaming pot. So, ask to switch tables if you’re seated in the sun – a mistake we didn’t realize until later in the meal. Additionally, ensure you give yourself enough time to enjoy the experience; it’s supposed to take time … so, just lie back and relax. 

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: San Francisco, USA
 Address: 1725 Buchanan Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Shabusen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


CLOSED: Dojima Ann (San Francisco)

Posted on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 by
Like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Dojima Ann appeared to us: a glistening beacon of hope on the horizon. After a morning of site seeing and shopping, my friend and I were hungry; craving something warm and comforting. After going to various restaurants and finding them closed or full, turning down O’Farrell Street was such a great decision.

Of course, it wasn’t all happy endings – the restaurant was still busy and there was a wait. So, we wrote our names down on the clipboard at the door and tried to be patient. Luckily, the tables turn over relatively quickly, so within 15 minutes we were finally seated.

As soon as my site glanced upon the iron bowl, I knew the nabeyaki udon ($11.25) was going to be my lunch. The large hot pot was filled with a rich seaweed and bonito infused broth, its heat I used to poach the raw egg on top.


Diligently, the tempura shrimp was eaten quickly to avoid the coating from getting too soggy and then I could relax and sample the soup. There were tons of other ingredients: slippery doughy udon, diced chicken, slices of salty fish cake and soft chopped vegetables. But, it’s the comforting broth that’s the highlight, especially once the runny egg mixes into it.

To stave off the hunger pains, we ordered the spicy tuna roll ($6.25) hoping it’d arrive quickly. Disappointingly, it ended up taking the longest and wasn’t presented until well after the steaming noodles graced our table. They were satisfactory: the rice a nice consistency, tuna not too pulverized, and spiciness prevalent but mellowed by the crunchy cucumbers.


Overall, Dojima was a delicious find, located in the heart of a touristy district of Union Square. For a person who generally likes to plan out my meals, I’m glad we abandoned our original choice and stumbled upon this iron pot at the end of the rainbow instead.  

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: San Francisco, USA
 Address: 219 O'Farrell Street


 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:




CLOSED: Fran's on Front (Toronto)

Posted on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 by
Deciding on a restaurant for weekday lunches with friends or co-workers can be difficult. Where can you go that doesn’t take two hours, has a menu that can satisfy multiple cravings and isn’t too expensive? Fran’s is the place I turn to for these occasions, especially since they have great lunch specials that make it quicker for large groups.

The fair sized lunch salads are great if you don’t want something too heavy. Although not the highest quality meat, the grilled steak ($11.99) has always been satisfying – an amped up Greek salad adorned with flavourful grilled beef.

When I’m craving a hearty filling lunch, their tuna wrap with Greek salad ($8.99) is my go-to order. The wrap is stuffed with tuna that’s lightly mixed with mayonnaise and onions. The layer of lettuce between the filling and the soft tortilla helps to keep it from getting soggy too quickly.


During colder weather, their soups are warming and the chicken noodle is chocked full of ingredients. And the hot Western sandwich ($8.99) has a hefty layer of omelette within the slices of toasted bread.



Around since the 1940’s, Torontonians have been relying on Fran’s for their all day breakfast and large portions of comfort food. For me, I’ve been relying on Fran’s for their affordable quick lunch menu. Of course, their spacious patio is also great for the summer.

 Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 33 Yonge Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Click to add a blog post for Fran's on Zomato

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